Page 116 of Severed Rivalry
“Ci.” He’s making me swoon.
“Well, it’s true.”
He’s not lying. I can feel his warm length at the back of my thigh.
By Sunday night, the story buzz has died down. We’ve washed and rewashed the few things we grabbed at Target. We’ve watched movies in Cian’s home theatre. We’ve cooked and done dishes and taken Eleanor for walks. We did one quick hike this morning, leaving Rosie to some peace and quiet since she’s not used to a houseful of activity, either of the human or canine variety.
We didn’t go too far. The sunshine and movement were good for all of us, and Lookout Mountain offered both in spades. I needed to step away from my screen. Renée needed to stop worrying about Rosie. And Cian needed to stretch his legs and said Eleanor did too.
Renée has school tomorrow. Normalcy is important. Fear or no, her education is too critical to play with, and neither of us are cut out for homeschooling. She’d riot, and I’d only be a day or two behind, if that.
She has a new app on her phone called Vigilance24/7. Liam added it and showed us all how to use it. It’s basically a “Find My” on steroids and pings data to my phone at regular intervals or as requested. My daughter would normally balk at it, and maybe she will in a month or so, but for now, she wants to go back to school and this is non-negotiable, so she’s agreed.
Now to get Ci to agree to letting us go home. At least for clothing and personal effects.
His hands have been planted on his hips for long moments. He’s frustrated. Every line of his body screams it.
We’ve been having the same argument for an hour. We need clothes; he needs assurance of safety. Yeah, his is more critical, but ours isn’t unimportant either.
“Get me the list. Line out where everything is. I’ll video call for anything I can’t find, then I’ll bleach my brain for the items Renée needed that I don’t want to have seen.”
And this is our problem. He can handle my stuff, not tomention Rosie and I aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But Renée… “No teenager wants her mom’s boyfriend going through her toiletries.” Don’t get me started on the underwear drawer. I don’t want that either.
He tips his chin to the ceiling, his chorded neck on full display, as his Adam’s apple bobs. “There’s got to be another alternative.”
“I’ll go with you,” Rosie offers from the hallway. “I’m slow, but I can do it.”
Ci looks at me, studying me. “Yes,” he says the same moment I say, “no.”
“That settles it. I’m going,” she says. Swinging her eyes to him, she adds, “Mind if we go by my house and pick up a few things?”
33
ocotea trifecta
Cian
That didn’t settle it. Somehow, I got wrangled by the Ocotea trifecta into leaving Renée with Rosie and taking Sariah.
I say wrangle because it seemed to be Rosie’s plan all along. The downside is not having a functional adult at each place. Rosie’s banged up, and Renée is not yet fourteen. Neither can drive, not that I have an extra vehicle for them to use if they had to. Dialing 911 would be faster than dialing me, anyway, but that’s not the point.
Leaving the most vulnerable while the two physically capable adults left was the worst possible outcome in my book. Rephrasing… it was the least wise outcome, but Rosie playing matchmaker and Renée in on it, leaves me with Sariah riding shotgun in Ayla’s car.
The only reason I haven’t returned it yet is so my license plate can’t be run or my truck followed. Besides Ayla and Christian live in Cherry Hills Village and their security rivals the Pentagon. No one would be so stupid as to try to get on their property. No one outside of Laotian mobsters would anyway, and I’ll never claim they’re bright.
Pulling her hand to my lips, I kiss Sariah’s knuckles before setting our joined hands on my thigh. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
“I don’t like arguing with you.”
“I don’t either. I know you want what’s best.” She pauses, opening and closing her mouth, but not continuing.
“But,” I offer.
“I’m just not used to being taken care of. I’m not used to what I want being trumped by, well… anybody.”
“Get used to it, Angel. Not the trumping part, unless that’s a sexual thing, then I’m here for it. But the being-taken-care-of part.”
